Dancehall singjay Iyah Syte is celebrating a new milestone this month as his single, Warning, has racked up an impressive 50,000 streams on the popular Spotify streaming platform.
The song, a remix, was released by 24/7 Music Productions in Januaury 2021, started auspiciously as it jumped to number two on Spotify’s release radar. While on pre-order, it went to number one on DJ Cat’s Top five chart in the UK, and has been featured on a number of playlists in Canada, the US and Europe.
“Nothing happens before the right time. It’s just a lot of good vibes right now, plus I have a new collaboration with Lutan Fyah that has 25,000 more streams, so I am really feeling great,” Iyah Syte said.
“It’s as if things were aligned for this song to do well. It is an uplifting, conscious song which encourages youths to think before they act. It says, ‘ Think before yuh tek up yuh nine because the hottest part of death is not who dead but who yuh lef behind’. That is a message that I want to resonate with the youth,” he said.
According to the latest statistics compiled by the police, a total of 212 murders were recorded islandwide between January 1 and February 22. This represents a six per cent increase over the comparative period last year.
Jamaica recorded just over 1,300 murders last year. The figures reveal, too, that shootings are up nine per cent this year. The increased killings and shootings come amid the nightly curfews and other COVID-19 containment measures imposed by the government, which have largely restricted the movement of citizens.
In the meantime, Iyah Syte is preparing to release a battery of new songs, beginning in March. Songs such as One Life, produced by Unison Music Group, and When You Love produced by Kam Booster of 7 Figures Production and he shares a collab called ‘Finally Found’ with the group, KRISIS, which was produced by 24/7 Production and Smart Kid Record.
Iyah Syte completed a full album in 2006, but it was never released. He plans to rectify that hurdle when he releases a full length album in May this year.
“The album will have 15 tracks, a combination of dancehall, reggae and world music. I have been promoting my singles on my Instagram Live and the feedback has been positive,” he said.
Christened Dillon Hines, Iyah Syte was born in Montego Bay. When his parents migrated to the US, he went to live with his grandparents in the farming district of Roehampton, also in St James.
He began writing his own lyrics and rhymes, and eventually became a popular young dancehall act, adopting the name Iyah Lazer.
In 1997, after the birth of his first son, Iyah Lazer switched from raw dancehall to more conscious and cultural lyrics and changed his name to Iyah Syte.
‘Syte’ is an acronym for Saving Youths Through Entertainment. This has become the mission for his music and the inspiration behind his lyrics.
He is known for the singles, Blood in the Street, a collaboration with Yugo Bandooloo, and Oh Mama, a single that expresses Iyah Syte’s sorrow and regret over the early passing of his mother.
